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Letter: Fort Smith Public Library Needs Have Grown

I am a native Fort Smithian. I attended Fort Smith Public Schools and graduated from Sparks Memorial School of Nursing in 1957 (which, by the way, is the last time the Fort Smith Public Library had a millage increase). As a child, I visited the “old Carnegie” library to check out books, which by reading would take me away from a not so happy home life and assist in my education.

I have two adult children who weekly visited the Eighth Street location most every Saturday for story hour and to check out books. Story hour was about the only “extra” benefit available then. Now the FSPL offers a multitude of “extras.” Books on tape for Fort Smith’s sight-impaired residents, DVDs for free entertainment for Fort Smith residents who might be on a limited budget, free computer and Internet for the Fort Smith residents who need to fill out job applications and magazine subscriptions for information and “just reading.”

The FSPL has been at one mill for 57 years. As our city has grown, so has inflation and property values have increased. However, inflation has also increased, and our library has grown, serving many more people and offering many more things to our residents. I will vote yes in the privately funded election, the cost of which is not coming from library or city funds.